Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic) Facts

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are man-made substances related to male sex
hormones. "Anabolic" refers to muscle-building, and "androgenic" refers to
increased masculine characteristics. "Steroids" refers to the class of drugs.
These drugs are available legally only by prescription, to treat conditions that
occur when the body produces abnormally low amounts of testosterone, such as
delayed puberty and some types of
impotence. They are also prescribed to treat
body wasting in patients with AIDS and other diseases that result in loss of
lean muscle mass. Abuse of anabolic steroids, however, can lead to serious
health problems, some irreversible.

Today, athletes and others abuse anabolic steroids to enhance performance and
also to improve physical appearance. Anabolic steroids are taken orally or
injected, typically in cycles of weeks or months (referred to as "cycling"),
rather than continuously. Cycling involves taking multiple doses of steroids
over a specific period of time, stopping for a period, and starting again. In
addition, users often combine several different types of steroids to maximize
their effectiveness while minimizing negative effects (referred to as
"stacking").